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We embrace the process of transformation in Christ, both in ourselves and in others, through the practice of Centering Prayer.

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Seeing, Hearing, Sensing, Tasting, Touching Presence

Series:

Love Matters

Week:

38

Love Matters are wisdom words from Fr. Thomas Keating spoken during the filming of the new series God is Love: The Heart of All Creation. Some are included in the series; others are from footage published here for the first time. A new word will be posted every Monday throughout the year. May they serve to inspire hope and lift your heart.

God hides behind and in visual things in such a way that he is never absent. So the person whose interior eye, whose third eye of faith, has opened, sees that, not as a particular object but as a presence in some way that is intuitive rather than just sensible.

Then hearing things in such a way that we‘re always listening no matter what is being said to this sound of sheer silence which is God’s presence passing by. So between the syllables, between the words, by just sitting still, deep listening, this can be done in Lectio too by going slowly and pausing when you feel drawn to silence. This is allowing silence to morph into Presence and Presence is clearly God’s presence. So then, the sense of attraction to silence, that’s the sense of smell – It’s an attraction to something delightful. Then we have touch which is the sensation of being kissed or embraced or held, which is when the Presence actively steps out of the Presence into some kind of activity that applies that Presence to our bodies and minds and spirits. Then taste would be the arising within of the presence of God. So, you’ll notice if you look at Scripture from this perspective, it’s often talking about the perfume of God, the taste of honey in the mouth and, of course, in the Song of Songs, it’s filled with all those images.

So, it suggests that there is a passion in God to communicate himself. He’s not just passively interested in us. God is not only looking for us but is looking for us with a certain energy and passion and eagerness.